At 10:12 AM +0000 3/3/06, Richard Jones wrote:
Dear All,
I've been offered an informal contract to photograph some paintings. I
am not a professional, but a keen amateur and would like to do the best
job I can. I have a 20D with a couple of L glass lenses but hope to be
able to borrow a selection of L zooms.
Without expending money on a studio or expensive lighting equipment etc.
Can anyone recommend a cheap and cheerful way of getting the best
results?
My employer (and friend) requires photos of both the full painting and
close-ups for capturing detail and brush strokes.
I was thinking of using my 28mm f/1.8 prime lens on a tripod for the
full size pictures, then a TS-E 90mm for the macro work. For lighting
the best I could come up with was waiting for an overcast day then
shooting either outdoors or next to a large window. I have no idea
whether to use flash or not - I can rent a 550EX if necessary.
I realise this is an EOS list, not photography 101, but any advice would
be gratefully received!
I've done quite a bit of this; mostly with 4x5 and 8x10 cameras, but
some with 35mm as well. The 35mm stuff was not for reproduction, but
for slide presentations.
The 28mm lens is a bad idea; longer lenses, preferably macro are the
best. 'L' lenses are not needed; the 60 macro for the 20D would be
great. Lenses with no distortion, or ones that you can correct with
something like PTLens with known parameters are a must. This is even
more important than the highest resolution. You also have to be able
to correct fully for vignetting, and all lenses vignette to one
degree or another.
Hang the picture flat on a wall, then determine the exact center, if
necessary by using two strings from corner to corner diagonally.
Bring your camera on tripod right up to the painting, and have the
center of you lens centered on the painting. Then back up the camera
(perpendicular to the wall) until you get the whole painting in. This
is a quick way to make sure everything is at the right height.
The best lighting is a four light setup, with the lights at,
generally 45 degrees to the painting or less with each light at the
side and 25% of the way up from the bottom or down from the top,
aimed at the opposite edge. Then use the flat disk on your light
meter (holding the flat disk parallel to the painting) and make sure
the four corners and center are withing 1/10 stop of each other.
Include a Kodak set of colour patches, or something similar at the
side of the painting.
If you don't have a lightmeter with a flat disk, use a grey card, or
even a white card and hold it at the various points flat in front of
the painting and meter close up with your camera. Since you can only
measure in 1/3 stops, make sure there is _no_ difference from corner
to corner.
Using cross polarized light can work on some paintings, but tends to
make oil paintings look dead (too flat).
For oil paintings or textured mixed media you have to experiment a
little with light positioning, as you have to catch a few highlights
off the texture, but you do have to keep the exposure as even as
possible.
Hope this helps.
--
* Henning J. Wulff
/|\ Wulff Photography & Design
/###\ mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
|[ ]| http://www.archiphoto.com
*
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